Lay Percentage Staking
Overview
Stake a fixed percentage of your current bankroll on each lay bet. This means your stake (the backer’s amount) scales with bankroll, but your liability also scales with odds — making it riskier than percentage staking for back bets.
How It Works
\[Stake = Bankroll \times \frac{percentage}{100}\] \[Liability = Stake \times (Odds - 1)\]Example: £1,000 bankroll at 2%. At odds of 3.0: stake = £20, liability = £40. At odds of 10.0: stake = £20, liability = £180 (18% of bankroll!).
Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
percentage |
number | 1 | Percentage of bankroll to stake (use lower than back % staking) |
Risk Assessment
- Risk Level: Medium (higher than back % staking due to liability multiplier)
- Max Drawdown: Accelerated at high odds
- Recommended Bankroll: Large — liability can spike at high odds
- Ruin Risk: Medium — high-odds losses can take large chunks of bankroll
⚠️ Critical Warning
2% of bankroll as a lay stake at odds of 10.0 risks 18% of bankroll. Use a much lower percentage for lay betting than you would for back betting. Consider 0.5–1% maximum.
Betfair Exchange Notes
- For most lay bettors, Lay % Liability is safer — it ties the percentage to liability, not stake
- Always check the liability before confirming a lay bet
Related Plans
- Lay % Liability — Safer: % of bankroll as liability, not stake
- Percentage Staking — Back betting equivalent
- Lay Level — Simpler flat alternative
Sources
- Plan catalog reference: The Staking Machine — staking plan software with 50+ plans
- Plan mechanics: Mathematical formulas and plan concepts are in the public domain